


Under the Stars

by LoudestWhisper



Series: LoudestWhisper's Badgermao Family series [1]
Category: Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart (Cartoon)
Genre: But it's obvious, First Kiss, M/M, Romance, Stargazing, starlit night, they don't flat out say I love you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 03:56:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20632700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoudestWhisper/pseuds/LoudestWhisper
Summary: A simple stargazing trip turns into something more.





	Under the Stars

“C’mon! Hurry! The sun is setting already!” Adorabat motioned for Badgerclops and Mao Mao to follow her before flying up to the top of the colossal hill. 

“Oh jeez,” Badgerclops said, exhaustion clinging to his voice. “Tell me...again...why we agreed...to do this?”

“Because she’s been begging to do this with us and we promised.” Mao Mao replied. Truth be told, he didn’t blame Badgerclops for not being in the mood to go stargazing. It’s been a long day. After training, going on patrol, and battling the Sky Pirates, he was tired himself, though he would never admit it. Heroes don’t get tired after all. How on earth Adorabat still maintained such an immense amount of energy was beyond comprehension. 

After a few more minutes of heaving their bodies up the grassy mound, the two finally reached their destination. The first thing they saw was an excited blue bat practically bouncing with joy. A huge grin spread across her face when she saw them.

“You made it! And here I thought you guys died on your way up.”

_ It almost felt like we did. _ Mao Mao thought. 

“Alright,” Badgerclops straightened himself up after catching his breath “Did you remember to bring the constellation map?”

Adorabat proudly patted the piece of paper sprawled out in front of her. “Yep! And did you remember to bring the snacks?”

With a smile, Badgerclops lifted the basket. “Well, of course.”

“Wait,” Mao Mao cut in “Guys, we just had dinner.”

“Aw, come on, dude. That was, like, an hour ago.” 

“Yeah, Mao Mao! A whole hour!”

Defeated, he sighed and sat down on the field. “Okay, okay. Just don’t complain to me about any stomachaches later on.” 

While Adorabat and Badgerclops happily dug into the small meal of PB&J sandwiches, Mao Mao took in the breathtaking scenery before him. As the sun sank into the horizon, the land was washed over with warm hues. Shades of pink, yellow, and orange enveloped the land, creating a sense of peace. Moments like this used to be a rarity. Feeling content was once only a dream. It’s amazing how much can change in just a few years. From meeting Badgerclops, to discovering a legendary town, to taking in Adorabat; things didn’t go the way Mao Mao planned. Yet, that is perhaps what made it all the more wonderful. 

Being so lost in thought, he was almost startled (but only almost, because heroes don’t get scared) when he felt a hand gently wrap around his shoulder. 

“Hey, man. You should have something to eat, too. You deserve to spoil yourself a bit.”

“Yeah!”Adorabat chimed in. “Have a sandwich! Oh! Or how about some apple juice?”

Smiling politely, Mao Mao shook his head. 

She shrugged and said “Suit yourself” before taking out a juice box and ripping off the straw that was attached to the side. Adorabat then chucked the plastic tube back into the picnic basket and stuck her fangs into the carton, slurping down the delicious beverage. It took her a moment to realize she was being gawked at.

“Vhat?” she asked, not bothering to pull her teeth out of the container.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to use a straw?” Mao Mao inquired.

“Naw. ‘Sides, I alvays dvink it this vay.” 

“Well, whatever works for you I suppose.” Badgerclops stated before turning back to Mao Mao “Anyway, are ya sure you don’t want anything to eat? I packed lots of goodies in here.”  
“Thanks...but I shouldn’t. A hero is always disciplined and-”

“Oh lighten up, Mao. You did really well kicking the Sky Pirates butt today. I think you should reward yourself. You out of everybody deserves that.” 

The soft smile that was on Badgerclops face made Mao Mao feel warm. Then again, it always did. Out of the many unexpected things that happened to him, this was by far the most unexpected of them all. He initially thought the tenderness he felt towards him was just platonic infatuation. It wasn’t until a few weeks ago that he realized it was something more. As cheesy as he knew it sounded, all it took was a sincere smile and for the sunlight to hit Badgerclops just right. Just like now. 

“...Did you bring any apples?” he finally asked, snapping out of his trance-like state. 

“Sure did! Here, catch!” 

Mao Mao effortlessly caught the piece of fruit with one hand. “Thanks, Clops.” 

“You two, look!” Adorabat gleefully exclaimed, pointing to a star that was bright enough to shine through the dimming day. It wasn’t long until all of the sunlight faded, transforming the sky into a jet-black screen. Thousands of twinkling stars lit up the night. Without a single cloud within vision, it made it easy to spot all the various constellations that decorated the atmosphere. 

“There’s the big dipper! Oh! And there’s Orion! See his belt? And if you look super duper hard, you can spot Cassiopeia over there! It kinda looks like a crooked W.” 

Mao Mao chuckled. “Wow, Adorabat. You sure know a lot about stars.”

“Yeah, I-OH MY GOSH A SHOOTING STAR! MAKE A WISH, QUICK!” She then tightly closed her eyes and mouthed something too quiet to understand. When finished, she looked over to the others with a huge grin stamped on her face. “Did you see that? Huh, huh?”

“Sure did, little dude.” Badgerclops said.

“What did you wish for?” Mao Mao asked as Adorabat flew over to them. 

She frowned and bit her lower lip. “I don’t know if I should say. Wouldn’t that mean it won’t come true?”

“It’s okay. You don’t have to tell us.” Mao Mao reassured. 

A beat of silence passed. Then another. 

“Alright! Alright! I’ll tell ya!” she suddenly blurted. “I wished...Well, I wished that we could...stay like this, y’know?” 

Badgerclops and Mao Mao looked at each other in confusion.

She sighed and tried to think of a better way to explain what she meant. After a moment passed, she gave it another go.  
“What I mean is, I want the three of us to just...keep being the way we are. A team of awesome heroes! I wished that we’ll always like each other. That we’ll always be…” She looked up at both of them with hopeful eyes. “That we’ll always be a family.” 

The two were stunned for a second. This was the first time they have ever heard themselves being referred to as a family. It was a new thing, but it didn’t feel odd or misplaced. Instead, it felt right. After many hardships and adventures, the three practically became inseparable. They had each other’s back even in the toughest of situations. This was yet another one of life’s unforeseen blessings. 

It was Badgerclops who broke the silence. “Hey, I think that’s a cool wish.” he said while patting her head. 

“Really?!” 

“Definitely. And I think it’ll come true.” Mao Mao replied. 

Satisfied with that answer, Adorabat plopped down beside them. They spent the next ten minutes or so silently enjoying the gorgeous environment. The only sources of noise were chirping crickets and a whistling breeze. All was calm and still. That is, until Mao Mao felt a finger poking his shoulder. Slightly annoyed, he turned to see Badgerclops smirking and jerking his thumb past his shoulder. There was Adorabat, sleeping soundly, her map being used as a blanket. 

“Can’t say that surprises me. She had a long day. We all did.” 

“If anything, I’m shocked she made it this long.” Badgerclops said while carefully tucking her in. 

Mao Mao twiddled a piece of grass between his fingers. “So should we head back or?”

“Nah, man. Let’s relax for a bit. Besides,” he folded his arms behind his head and stretched out on the grass. “It’s been a while since we’ve done this, don’t you think?”

“Dang, you’re right. How long has it been since we stargazed? It must’ve been before Adorabat came along. I’m positive I would recall if we did this with her.” He rested his head in his hand. 

Chewing the inside of his cheek, Badgerclops thought for moment. “Hmm, to be honest, I think the last time was the first night you and I spent together.” He then turned his head to Mao Mao “But I wasn’t referring to stargazing, dude.” 

That certainly baffled him. “Oh, well, what did you mean?” he asked, looking down at his friend with a raised eyebrow. 

There was some slight hesitation, so slight that anyone else wouldn’t have noticed it. But Mao Mao did. Badgerclops finally replied.  
“I meant that it’s been a while since just the two of us got to spend time together.” 

Mao Mao felt his cheeks get warm. He could only hope that the dark hid his blush. “O-oh.” 

“Sorry, that was weird, wasn’t it?” Badgerclops asked with a sheepish grin. 

“No, not at all. I...wasn’t expecting it. That’s all.” He cleared his throat. “But you’re right. I can’t remember the last time you and I hung out. Not that I mind Adorabat’s company, of course.”  
“Oh, man, me either. Jeez, I sounded like a jerk.” 

Snickering, Mao Mao playfully tossed a few blades of grass at his companion. “I know what you meant.” He then laid down beside him. “And it is nice.” 

Memories of their early days with one another started playing in his mind. Their first evening together was by far an unforgettable experience. Neither could sleep due to the extreme heat and the pesky insects. The two filled the nighttime boredom with awkward chit-chat, learning little tidbits about one another. Perhaps it was due to exhaustion, but the conversation turned to something much deeper. Mao Mao vividly remembered telling Badgerclops about his never-ending quest to impress his dad and sisters. Instead of becoming uncomfortable or annoyed by his rambling, he listened carefully, taking in each word. It was then that Mao Mao knew that this would be someone he’d enjoy traveling with. 

“Whatcha thinking about?” Badgerclops words brought him back to current time. “You know, I can tell when you’re deep in thought. You tend to tap your foot or strum your fingers."

_ He knows me well. _ Mao Mao thought. He then turned to his side to face him and propped his head up with left hand. “Mm, it’s kinda stupid.” 

“C’mon, Mao. Tell me. You know I’m open to anything.” 

“Oh fine.” he sighed. “I was thinking about the day we met. And how...how so much has changed since we started being co-heroes.” 

Badgerclops turned his head back to him with an expression that was almost impossible to read. It looked like a mix of anticipation and fear. “Oh, really? Changed how, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

Oddly enough, this wasn’t enough to make Mao Mao back out of the conversation. It used to be that way. Whenever a talk was getting too serious or personal, he’d often try changing the subject. This evening was different. Something about the night made it easy, and perhaps desirable, to be sentimental. So, he continued.

“If anything, it’s been a positive change. I...I feel more at peace now than I did before coming to Pure Heart Valley. And before I met you. I used to think I was destined to be a loner. Thankfully I was wrong.” 

“...Mao, I-”

“And... I know this sounds dumb but, I’m...happy… to find someone that knows me so well.” He laughed lightly. “I’d even go as far to say you know me better than I know myself.”  
“I... Jeez, dude.” Overwhelmed with flattery, Badgerclops rubbed the back of his neck forced a small chuckle.

“Heh, uh, sorry. Didn’t mean to make this awkward.”

“Chill. You didn’t. You caught me off guard. I wasn’t expecting that. And uh-” He took a deep breath to calm himself. “What I’m trying to say is, thank you.” 

“No problem.” 

It was then that Mao Mao relaxed a bit. He laid his head down and used his upper arm as a pillow. He glanced around for nothing in particular, just something that would grab his attention. His gaze came to a stop when he noticed a single piece of grass stuck onto Badgerclops cheek. Without even realizing it, he brushed his hand against his face in an attempt to get rid of it. He only registered what was going on when Badgerclops let out a small gasp and looked him straight in the eye. 

They were only inches apart, yet to Mao Mao it felt much farther. He didn’t opt to pull his hand away and instead stroked him softly. Now looking at his mouth, he leaned in slowly, so slowly that he briefly wondered if he was moving at all. The moment their lips met made the thought quickly melt away. It seemed as if time stood still or perhaps didn’t even exist. Any worries he previously had were put on hold to enjoy what was happening. He felt the kiss being returned and the two lingered like that for what felt like forever but could have only been a few seconds. When they parted, it was nearly painful.

Mao Mao lifted the blade of grass and smiled. “This was stuck to your face.” 

Badgerclops laughed and playfully flicked it back at him. “Hey, you were the one who threw it at me earlier. Your fault, man.” 

“Guess you got a point there.” he snickered and then stretched his limbs. “Ugh, it’s getting late.” 

“Yeah, we should probably get back to the house. We got another busy day ahead of us.” Badgerclops said, rising to his feet and brushing off any dirt that clung to him.

Mao Mao got up and carefully picked up Adorabat, holding her with one arm. “Let's let her sleep in tomorrow. She deserves a bit of a break.”

Badgerclops nodded and held the picnic basket. The two walked down the hill side by side in silence. Their free hands kept brushing up against each other until they finally connected. Though the day was over, a new chapter of their life was only beginning.

**Author's Note:**

> Mao Mao, the next day: *skateboards into Ol' Blue's office with a slushie in hand* Blue, you will not believe what happened last night. 
> 
> Hey y'all! Hope you enjoy this little oneshot. I never thought a show about a grumpy kitty would rekindle my love for fanfic writing, but here we are! 
> 
> Thanks for reading! Have a good day.


End file.
